One of the best things about being married is being able to write and share advice from personal experience with brides-to-be. Heh heh.

It was really tough being a bride-to-be, with endless errands to run; I also wasn’t the best student to tick against a checklist.

General wedding coordination aside, of which my wedding planner Nicolle from BigLittleDetails did an excellent job, I was more of a ‘let’s roll with it’ kind of bride-to-be when it came to prepping MYSELF for the BIG DAY. I had a rough idea of what ought to be done, but because I didn’t want to stress myself out with yet another timeline, I tried to start early.

Most brides handle the bulk of wedding preparations and it can be VERY STRESSFUL, but remember you want to look your best too, so don’t forget to pamper yourself! It’s once in a lifetime, after all! Avoid cramping too many things to do too close to the wedding day as the result would be litany of problems that could have been avoided.

So here are 7 pre-wedding treatments I personally think are most important. 😀 Contact details and discount codes at the bottom of the post!

Pre-wedding Treatment #1: Trial Makeup & Hair

I must have been asked “Are you going to do your own makeup on your wedding day?” at least a hundred times.

“No”, I replied. It’s my BIG DAY and I didn’t want to stress out trying to create the perfect bridal makeup on myself. Besides, I can’t possibly do my own hair and it’s really silly to get a MUA to do only my hair.

Zennie was recommended by Danny L, and in my opinion, anything that Danny recommends must be UPZ.

It’s important to convey the look you are looking for and best if you can show your MUA pictures to support the idea – Pinterest is a great source. Also let your MUA know the location and time of event as these factors will play a part in creating your ideal bridal hair and makeup.

I wanted a more princess-in-a-garden look for the first gown since the lunch session would take place in a beautiful garden. For the second gown which would take place at night in a country club restaurant, we decided to go for a bold, red lip.

This was the trial hair for my second gown. Head piece from Danny’s studio. It ba-da-blinged gorgeously on the wedding day.

Every bride should go for a trial hair + makeup session. My friend who didn’t have a trial session hated the hairdo she received on the day itself and had to scramble to look for one at the last minute.

It’s also important to look like yourself, only much better. Take photos of yourself from all angles after the trial session to see if it looks good on camera, and let your MUA know if there’s anything you’d like to tone down or tune up.

Pre-wedding Treatment #2: Hair Coloring & Treatment

Unless your current hair style is horrible and you have a dysfunctional relationshipwith your stylist, stick to the one you know can give you the best cut, color, and treatment.

I’ve been with Salon Vim for many happy years and no one else knows my hair better than they do.

I had my hair colored and treated 5 days before the wedding so that the hair color and texture would be in tip-top condition.

Stick to a safe color, like browns and ash. I know pinks and purples might seem very tempting for a young bride who wants to sport a ‘different look’, but trust me, 20 years down the road you’ll be happy you kept it safe.

Pre-wedding Treatment #3: Microdermabrasion & Skincare

I have my current skincare routine in this post if you’d like to check it out. Other than purchasing skincare products from Dr Joyce, I also go to her for Microdermabrasion and Chemical Peel. I’ve done it only twice in a year and for the periods in between, her prescribed skincare have been sufficient to keep my skin in good condition.

I did my second Microdermabrasion and Chemical Peel a month before the wedding, to allow the treatment to work its magic and time for the skin to heal in case of side effects. The only side effects I get are a bit of redness and dryness. They usually subside in a week.

I do not recommend facials, I will never recommend facials in this lifetime. But if you choose to have one, allow 2 weeks for your complexion to settle.

Also, if you have an existing skincare regime that works, stick to it. It’s not worth the curiosity of trying new skincare products and running the risk of sending your skin into shock when it’s so close to your wedding day! No bride wants to be spotty or blotchy!

Pre-wedding Treatment #4: Teeth Whitening

I had my veneers done a year ago at Orchard Scotts Dental by Dr Jerry, and they have been LIFE-CHANGING. The comparison pictures in my posts will give you the full story.

You can do many things to your face, hair, body, but it’s always the SMILE that makes the biggest difference.

The veneers are on my upper 8 teeth, and I used a home whitening kit for the lower teeth. I had my tray custom-made at OSD and all I have to do is pump out the gel on the tray and wear it for the night. I wear the tray faithfully every night to minimize teeth grinding.

If you’re going to invest in one cosmetic treatment, make it teeth whitening. However, please get them professionally whitened or at least seek your dentist’s approval if you intend to buy over-the-counter products. Some are able to whiten the teeth simply because the chemicals erode the outer layer of your teeth to reveal the unstained layer beneath it. Overtime, your teeth get thinner and teeth sensitivity is no laughing matter.

Also try to avoid drinking coffee, dark sauces and red wine in the weeks leading up to the big day to reduce teeth staining.

Pre-wedding Treatment #5: IPL Hair Removal

Ever since I started on my Ginza Calla journey to remove all unwanted and unsightly facial and body hair, I’ve begun to appreciate the benefits of being hairless at all the right places. No more grey shadow on the upper lip, no more having to epilate every other day, no more struggling with a very unsexy ‘Southern Bush’.

I chronicled my Ginza Calla journey in these posts, do check them out coz there are discount codes for my readers at the end of each post!

Pre-wedding Treatment #6: Vocal Lessons

I hope there will be pictures of me singing to my husband on our wedding day! People don’t cringe when I sing, but neither am I a singing superstar. I’m just your average once-in-a-long-while-patronize-Kbox kind of singer. Lol.

A bride’s got a million things to do, so I went for the Hark Music Express Vocal Course and learnt many singing/breathing/presenting techniques in TWO days.

It was quite an interesting and memorable experience, not only because I felt that I’d improved, but also saw how my course mates improve tremendouly too. There was a guy in class who was really quite bad at first (off pitch, off tempo), but when it came to the final performance on stage in front of our family and friends, HE IMPRESSED. Everyone thought he improved the most and I was personally very touched by his determination to get better at singing – he was always practising during breaks and at every opportunity he could find.

Being given the chance to sing on stage in front of an audience helped prepare me for the surprise I wanted to go my husband on our wedding day. I’m only able to mention this now coz the wedding is finally over. Haha.